Improvement in self-lighting cigars



Nrrnn STATES PATENT rrrcn.

CHARLES L. RIDGWAY, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSEPH H. HATCH, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-LIGHTING CIGARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,709, dated February 9, 1875; application filed January 15, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. RIDGWAY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Self-Lighting Cigars; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention .is a cigar which shall be self-lighting by any contact which would ignite the ordinary friction-matches, and in Which the self-lighting material shall wholly consume itself in the act of ignition; and my invention therein consists in applying to the outer end of a cigar a burning compound which shall be without perceptible odor or taste, and embedding in the same an igniting compound, which, by ignition, will communicate fire to the burning compound, and then fall off to the ground.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make my self-lighting cigar, I proceed to describe the same in connection with the drawing, in Which-- Figure 1 represents a side view of my cigar, and Fig. 2 an end elevation of the same.

Like letters denote similar parts in each ligure.

I mix up, as stiffly as it can be applied by any suitable means to the end of a cigar, a composition of finely-pulverized charcoal and mncilage, and place this compound upon the end of a cigar, rounding the same out a little in or approaching a semi-spherical shape. This composition is intended forburnin g, and thereby communicating fire to the end of the cigar, and also for holding the igniting material hereinafter to be described. This mixture at once adheres, and in a short time dries and becomes hard, before which time, however, I place in the center of it a small portion of any suitable igniting material. The burning mixture being very hard and stiff, it will be seen that it will hold the igniting material firmly in place upon its outer surface, and entirely (le tached from the end of the cigar, and not touching it.

The lighting of the cigar is performed by friction or with any friction-matches. By this friction the igniting mixture takes fire, communicates fire to the burning mixture, and then, having no support, falls to the ground, having imparted no odor or flavor to the cigar. The burning material, which then communicates fire to the cigar, from the character of its composition, imparts no flavor or odor to the cigar, and burns a considerable time, thus certainly communicating fire under all circumstances of exposure. Even if the cigar is smoked before the burning material is all consumed the fumes of the burning mixture impart no odor or deleterious taste to the cigar.

I do not pretend to have been the first to invent a self-lighting cigar, as many of such are well known; but the objection to all of them is that the igniting material imparts a disagreeable odor and flavor to the cigar; but

What I claim as new, and for which I desire Letters Patent is A cigar the end of which is covered with charcoal, held by any suitable adhesive material, and an igniting material exterior thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of January, 187 5.

. CHARLES L. RIDGWAY.

Witnesses:

R. V. J oYcE, ELLIOTT D. RoBBINs. 

